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Weird. Mostly when one sees a Skycatcher for training it's for Sport Pilots - which don't have a medical!

Nothing says they can't have a medical though. And FBO's are most certainly picking up 162's for more than sport pilot training, which is very much a niche market. They are picking them up so they can run a new airplane right around 100/hr for students who want the new airplane feel.

Medical Info

"There are many types of heart problems, and all are significant to aviators. ALPA reports that 23% of almost 10,000 pilots contacting their office each year do so for cardiovascular disease. If your doctor tells you about a heart problems, or you suspect symptoms, don't take immediate dispair! The FAA granted nearly 6,500 Special Issuance Authorizations/SIA (waivers) for pilots with coronary artery disease in 1997. Of these, most were for coronary artery disease or heart attacks (myocardial infarctions). The majority of these pilots were treated with bypass grafting, angioplasty and/or intracoronary artery stents. The FAA granted 509 waivers for First Class, 512 for Second Class and 5,555 were for Third Class Certificates. Pilots with heart valve replacements, rhythm disturbances, pacemakers and heart failure were also granted waivers. According to Virtual Flight Surgeons, only 0.1% of medical applications to the FAA receive a final denial."

Based on these numbers, only 3 pilots/year are denied a medical through the process.

There is a bit of work to do, such as Stress testing, ECG, et al. The good news is that those of us who may have had issues in the past, and have taken better care of themselves since the incident, may still pass the 3rd class.... I did undergo bypass twelve years ago and my cardiologist tells me that I have the heart of a 62 year old.. wait a minute - I am 62!?!?

BADCELLIST - StoP!!! Don't do it...

A few years ago I sat in on a Sport Pilot presentation at SunNFun by "Doctor Dave" ... author of the exhaustively complete and funny but kinda disorganized Sport Pilot Encyclopedia. He practically shouted at us that if we loved to fly but were concerned about passing our next medical, to NOT TAKE ONE. Failing meant never flying solo/PIC in airplanes again. He said first take a mock medical unofficially testing all parameters and then decide if worth the risk... or just resign yourself to old age and head straight for sport pilot status. Someone who just bought the kinda old original SPE version says its latest added reg update pages now advise people to not sell their too heavy too fast too many seats airplanes right away either since there is a chance the AOPA/EAA no medical for fixed pitch fixed gear <180HP request to FAA might fly later this year.
PS I have noticed some online shady dealing on used supposedly SP eligible aircraft that aren't. Yes, brand new LSA versions of stuff like Zenith and Arion Lightning with detuned engines, no speed mods, or fine pitch props from day one are approved and licensed originally as LSA and OK. But older versions of the same aircraft may not be. You can't just say "I'm operating what was a 1400 pound gross aircraft exclusively under 1320 now" nor can you just take the slick wheelpants and controllable prop off a Lightning experimental and now claim it is OK to fly the same airframe that last year zipped along at 160mph as a Vh 120 LSA. It will fly of course but ramp check or investigation after gahd forbid accident will screw you to the max... likely also disqualifying you for payout from that insurance discussed elsewhere on this thread.

'Prop Strike'

Originally Posted by Amphib Ian

... by "Doctor Dave" ... first take a mock medical unofficially testing all parameters and then decide if worth the risk... there is a chance the AOPA/EAA no medical for fixed pitch fixed gear <180HP request to FAA might fly later this year.

Ian,

Wow, talk about a 'prop strike'..... more damage than is apparent from the outside...

After I had my 'procedure' 12 years ago, I had given up on the idea of flying PIC again and never attempted a 3rd class flight physical, ergo have never been denied. Then, as outlined previously, I discovered the SP rule and went down that path... only to discover the additional limitations in renting an airplane as a PIC due to FBO insurance requirements... Then, after additional research, discovering that there is a possibility to 'pass' my 3rd class so, I filed a flight plan and taxied out to take that journey (figuratively speaking)...

So, your recomendation, based upon Dr.Dave's presentation, is:

Have a 'mock' physical, review the results with the Flight Surgeon and, based upon his considered opinion and without a guarantee for success, go official and cross my fingers

OR take the Sport Pilot route with its limitations and look for an FBO whose insurance carrier recognizes the SP rule

OR await the results of the AOPA/EAA 'no medical' effort and the amenability of our government to acquiese

After reflecting on many of the comments in this post, I decided to call around San Diego to see if I could get the PPL downgrade (no offense intended), complete a BFR and be able to rent an LSA as PIC....

SUCCESS.... I found a club that meets these qualifications. I am scheduling the BFR and getting back off the ground.....

I think that I will persue a 'MOCK' physical as suggested by Ian, but wait for the results of the EAA/AOPA efforts in the PPL self certifying efforts before I do anything else.

No offense taken, but it's not a downgrade - it's a limitation on when you can fly (and how high).

If you're a big IFR guy that loves flying at night it might seem like a downgrade - but if most of your flying is daytime VFR below 10K with only one passenger it's just the same (although in a light aircraft).

I was talking to a guy that owns and flys a Champ today about Sport Pilot rules (he was suprised that someone under 50 would hold the ticket) and he started laughing; paying for a medical for him is kind of dumb when he thought about it....

The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

Thanks for the comment

Originally Posted by Frank Giger

No offense taken, but it's not a downgrade - it's a limitation on when you can fly (and how high).

If you're a big IFR guy that loves flying at night it might seem like a downgrade - but if most of your flying is daytime VFR below 10K with only one passenger it's just the same (although in a light aircraft).

Frank,

Thanks for the comment. I never completed my IFR but, when current, flew high performance hardware for 90% of my FT with night as big part of that. The night flying was always the best part of my hours logged.

It's not much of a stretch to decide between flying light, two occupants, under 10K altitude, in daylight OR not flying PIC at all.

I am looking forward to the BFR and flying not unlike I did in the straight tailed, coffee grinder radio, Cessna 150 flying that I did back in the 60s. Whew, that was a LONG time ago... ...

I am going on holiday for the rest of May and will do the BFR when I get back. I will let you know how it goes.

This brings up a new query, since it has been so long since I have wandered around the skies, skirting TCA's, etc., anyone have a suggestion for an iPad app that will help me refresh for the BFR? Bringing up my flying skills is less of a concern than bringing my PILOTING skills... I think that I will post another messageon this topic...

I completed my PPL in 1968 at the age of 18 at Brackett Field in Pomona, CA.

I could only find one of my logbooks. There is a newer one that is MIA. In the logbook I have... the final entry was in 1988 when I took my family in a Mooney from San Jose, Ca to Riverside, CA for a family reunion... I probably logged another 120 hours after that but, since the logbook is missing, I do not have a record of when or what. It is probably twenty years ago since I sat in the left seat...